This history of the medieval Scottish War of Independence was originally published in 1914 and in some ways, it shows its age. More contemporary historians state their opinions with more subtlety and less overt nationalism. I was also surprised by the author's portrayal of William Wallace and Robert Bruce - Bruce is lionized as a military genius and Wallace is downplayed. Still, histories of this period are not as numerous as one would think and I appreciated this one for attempting to cover the entire war and its approachability more than a century after it was written. ( )

Here's a scholarly tome that stands on its own out of the shadow of Braveheart-mania. First published in 1914, Evan Macleod Barron's study of Scotland's struggle against England in the 13th century resounds with ardent nationalism. This is one of my most valued research books, as it quotes extensive sections of primary sources. An easy and engaging read, given that it was written almost 100 years ago, but the chronology isn't as straightforward as it could be. It's a bit like listening to a professor of history give a lecture, watching him drop his notes several times, and then start speaking about whichever note ends up on top.